Aftermath
by Enigmaforum
Summary: Battles are fought. Lives are lost. In the end there's always a price to pay. For the RPM Rangers, they are about to learn that the aftermath of a battle is always hard, but the reward that comes from winning? That is what makes everything worth it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I still don't own PR. If I did I promise you that it wouldn't have ended with RPM. **

**AN: So I watched the last two episodes of RPM and just wow. I really enjoyed them and it sent my mind reeling with ideas and plot bunnies. I've got a couple of stories in the works but for now this one if taking the lead. This is going to be a series of oneshots focusing on certain pairings that I feel were made very obvious with the finale of RPM. I hope you enjoy them. **

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He knew that what he was doing right now could technically be considered stalking. After all he didn't actually need to be here right now. He could be out in the city doing any number of things to help rebuild after Venjix's last stand. He could be with his father discussing their plans for the city wide computer system they were going to begin working on in the next few days. Hell, he could even be in the lab helping Doctor K retrieve data files that were still floating around. But was he doing any of that? No. Instead Flynn McAllister found himself literally lurking around in the garage and watching a certain Silver Ranger as she moved about.

Unlike himself, Gemma was actually doing something useful, sweeping up debris, and humming to herself while doing so. She looked at peace and happy in this moment and Flynn wanted to capture it in his memory. Flynn wanted to leave his hiding place, to go over and help her, talk to her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was having a hard time believing that she was actually still here, in this moment of peace, doing such a simple task after the week they'd all had. A week filled with fighting and hardship, with joy and triumph, and a week that had had a few hours in which he'd barely been able to function above the bare necessities because he'd thought she'd been lost to him.

Gemma and Gem had gone down fighting Venjix, had taken a hit meant for himself and Summer, and then they'd been gone. They'd died, she had _died_, and Flynn had stood there watching and utterly helpless. When they'd disappeared, his helplessness had been overturned by a grief so great that he was still having nightmares revolving around it. He'd lost Gemma and he hadn't been able to do a damn thing to stop it. The only thing he'd been able to do was feel his heart shatter and his brain had stopped working.

Flynn closed his eyes again the wave of emotions welling within him at the thoughts coming into his brain. He remembered that in those moments of despair he'd started to think about Gemma and what their relationship to each other was exactly. He'd recalled the late nights spent sitting in the garage, in the kitchen making smoothies, laughing and talking. Gemma had told him so much about her life before Corinth, in the Wasteland, in Alphabet Soup. She'd told him about her fears and dreams. In turn he'd shared about his travels, his father, and just life in general. With no one else around he'd learned that Gemma wasn't as childish as she appeared, but a hardened warrior who was trying to cope with all she'd been through.

Through the course of those late night talks, and touches, and laughing Flynn had somehow managed to fall for Gemma in a completely non platonic way. But they were feelings that he'd never allowed himself to act upon because of two main reasons. One, her brother probably would have found a way to blow him up and two, he didn't know if Gemma was ready for the kind of relationship he'd wanted to have with her. The latter was the most important part of the equation because Flynn knew through their conversations that Gemma was struggling to be around people. She'd been having difficulty trying to be herself and the last thing he'd wanted to do was make her feel like she had to reciprocate whatever he was feeling.

Of course, there were hints that she felt something for him. Little glances and smiles that were only for him but they hadn't pursued anything. Gemma needed time that he was more than willing to give her and once again he was kind of terrified that Gem would off him in the middle of the night. But his inability to talk to her didn't mean that he stopped himself from feeling for her. If anything his feelings grew the more and more time he spent with Gemma. These feelings also meant that when she'd _died_ in front of him his world had come crashing down around him.

Flynn felt himself get slammed back into reality as he ran through that scene in his mind once more; Gemma disappearing, him screaming for her. He shivered and closed his eyes in an attempt to rid himself of the images and the emotions rising up inside of him. He didn't want to think about this right now or ever again really. Gemma was safe now. Dr. K had brought her back from the bio-field and she was fine. Flynn just had to keep breathing and reminding himself of those facts.

One of the ways that helped him see that was by watching Gemma. By seeing her there and whole he knew she wasn't just a dream or some fake imaginings of his heart. Which was partially why he was in the Garage now, looking at her, feeling his heart flutter with every movement she made. He wanted to do something, he needed to do something about these feelings for her and he oddly felt that he could now.

Venjix was gone and for the first time in a very long time; they were all going to have somewhat normal lives. He was still going to be helping with the city and of course he'd strap on his morpher once more if ever the need arose but for right now there was peace. Rebuilding had to happen of course but for once there were no robots to fight and the world was slowly turning back to its natural state. In Flynn's opinion, all of these happenings were things to be taken as signs that maybe just maybe he could move forward with Gemma. He had to ask her of course and hope she said yes but he knew right now that he had to try. Losing her for just a few hours had damn near killed him and he couldn't go through this life wondering what could've been.

So he'd come in here with the intention of looking at her for a moment and then possibly asking her out on a date but found himself stopped by the first part of said plan. But now that he'd managed to get himself out of his thoughts about those god awful few hours where she hadn't been around to look at he could hopefully go through with asking her out. All he had to do was stop staring at her long enough to actually move out of the shadows and talk to her.

Taking a breath Flynn let his head clear once more before ordering his feet into motion. However before he could get even one foot in front of the other, he was stopped by a body suddenly appearing in front of his. He immediately felt his body snap into a hyper aware state as his eyes went upwards. He let out a breath of relief when he found that it was just Gem in front of him and not some rogue grinder bent on revenge. However, the look on Gem's face still had his senses on hyper alert because really when it came to Gemma, her brother was a wee bit protective.

"Gem, can ye not sneak up on people like that? I thought you were a monster left over from the attack," Flynn whispered quietly, not wanting to alert Gemma to his presence right now.

"I thought you'd of noticed me by now. You've been standing there for awhile Flynn," Gem replied in an equally soft whisper, an interesting look in his eyes as he spoke.

Flynn immediately felt a blush creep its way across his face that the Gold Ranger's words and a hand came up to rub his neck in an attempt to get it away. This was definitely not going as planned.

"Well, Gem I was just-"

"You like my sister."

Flynn felt his gaze snap up to meet Gem's eyes once more and saw the look of determination there. That blush that had been forming was most definitely coming on full throttle now. This was not in his plan today, dealing with Gem had been something he'd put in the back of his mind until after Gemma said yes.

"Well, I…yes. I like yer sister," he replied with a sigh. No sense in denying the obvious now. Mine as well deal with the shut down now.

"As more than a friend?" Gem asked and Flynn nodded.

"Yes Gem. I like her as more than a friend."

"How much more?"

Flynn felt his eyebrows shoot up at the question. He'd been expecting a shut down and a strict marching out of the room. Instead he was being met with an inquisitive Gem that seemed almost anxious about his answers. Hmm this was a new one.

"Well Gem to be honest; a lot more. I really do care about yer sister. She gets me like no one else an' I feel like I can talk to her about anythin'. An' when you two…..when you went away," he paused then and felt his eyes close once again, god how he hated thinking about that. "When you went away Gem I felt like my world died with her. Worst feeling ever. She's…well...I know she's somethin' special for me."

Flynn stopped after that and watched Gem's face as it went through a variety of emotions. It first began with the anxiety, then changed into surprise and now it was set in well Gem was smiling, sort of.

"That's a good answer Flynn. A really good answer," he began slowly. "I know that I haven't been very supportive of you and her being closer but you have to understand for a really long time it was just her and I. It's hard to just well let go of that."

"Gem I understand that an' I would never try to come between you and her. I just-"

Flynn stopped talking when Gem held up a hand.

"I know that Flynn. Gemma explained it to me and then Scott explained it to me again. I know that you would never try to come between us. I know that nothing will ever be like the bond she and I share as siblings but there are certain things that she wants now that I can't give her," Gem explained softly, taking a breath before looking Flynn directly in the eyes as he spoke his next piece.

"But you can. And Gemma cares about you like you care about her. I….want you and her to be happy. I want you two to be happy together."

Of all the things that Gem could have said, nothing in the world could have prepared Flynn for those words. He never in a million years would have thought that Gem would be giving him his blessing to date his sister. Gem who had been thwarting the two of them for months, who gave him glares when no one else looked, was really saying these things.

"Gem…are you sure about this?"

Flynn needed clarification on this. He needed to be certain he hadn't been imagining things just a few moments ago. But Gem simply smiled and nodded at the question.

"It took me awhile to see it Flynn but you make her happy. I want my sister to be happy. And we're friends so I want you to be happy too. So you can be with her. I won't stop you," he stopped but then added as an afterthought. "But if you break her heart I will not hesitate to blow your jeep up…got it?"

Flynn nodded quickly at the serious look on Gem's face and then let his gaze wander over the Gold Rangers shoulder to Gemma. He stared for a few minutes before he felt someone pushing his shoulder and propelling him forward. He glanced to his side to see Gem smiling at him as he backed away slowly.

"Go on and make your move. She'll say yes. I promise."

With those final words Gem was gone and Flynn let himself grin for a few moments before focusing on the task at hand. Gem may think that Gemma would say yes to him but that meant nothing to Flynn's own mind. Asking someone out is never fun because there is always a fear of rejection involved. But right now the risks and possibility of a bruised ego were worth it. He could do this. He would ask Gemma out and hopefully she would say yes.

It was with that thought in mind that Flynn took a breath and this time started walking forward, this time with no one standing in his way. He approached Gemma quietly and by some miracle she was still working away, completely oblivious to the exchange that had just happened between her brother and himself.

"Gemma?" he kept his voice down because he knew that they weren't alone in the Garage. Dr. K and Ziggy were in the lab working away on getting files restored and he wanted to keep this conversation to himself for a bit. He loved Ziggy like a brother but the guy was the biggest gossip this side of Corinth.

She jumped a bit at his voice and immediately stopped her work as she spun around to meet his gaze. There was a bright smile gracing her lovely features when she saw him and immediately Flynn felt himself warming up on the inside.

"Flynn! When did you get here? I thought you were visiting with your father?" She asked as she left her broom against the wall and quickly embraced him.

"I got here not too long ago. Me Da can manage without me for a bit. I had somethin' I had to do here," he replied as he hugged her tightly for a few moments before reluctantly letting go.

"Oh? And what did you have to do? Can I help?" Gemma asked as she stepped away from him.

"Actually you can," Flynn replied with a grin. "You can say yes."

"Yes?" She asked slowly. "Yes to what?"

"You an' me…going out together…alone."

He finished the last part anxiously, watching Gemma's face as she simply looked at him for a few minutes before she gave him a shy smile.

"You mean like a date?"

"Yes lass, like a date. I'd like to go out on a date with you."

"Just one date?" she asked shyly and he felt himself blushing again.

"Well…to start out with. But Gemma I'll be honest, I'd like more than one date with you. I'd like lots of dates with you. I just...I want to be with you. I like you an' I don' want to spend another day wonderin' what if. "

For a few moments there was silence between them and then before Flynn knew what was happening Gemma was wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him once more. He'd been startled for a minute but wrapped his arms around her waist nonetheless and listened as she spoke.

"I like you too Flynn. Of course I'll go out on a date with you. I'll go out on lots of dates with you. I want to be with you. I've been wanting to tell you for awhile but so much started happening and..."

"It's alright lass, I know. Trust me I know. But when I thought you were gone for good...all I could think about was you an' me an' what we've shared together. I'm an idiot for not tellin' you about how I felt sooner."

"If you're an idiot then I am too," she replied as she pulled her head away to stare into his eyes. "I should have told you. I'm sorry I didn't."

"It's alright. I'm just glad we're on the same page here," Flynn replied as he leaned his forehead against Gemma's. "So we're really going to go out on a date?"

"Mhmm," she said with a nod of excitement. "When do you want to go?"

"Well we could go an' get some food from the grocery store right now...have a picnic in the park if you're up for it?" He suggested and Gemma's eyes lit up at the prospect.

"I like the way you think Mr. McAllister. Let's go for it. No time like the present to start this."

"Oh lass, this has been a longtime coming...we just needed the right circumstances to push ourselves forward," he responded softly before placing a kiss on the top of her head. He pulled his body away from hers then and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

Gemma simply giggled and nodded, placing her hand in his, smiling as they headed for his jeep and the start of something they were both finally ready for.

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**Feedback is always appreciated. Thanks for reading! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own PR, that honor goes to Disney. **

**AN: And here is the second installment of the 'Aftermath' series. Thanks so much for the reviews and reads everyone. **

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Peace. It was a word that Dillon never thought he'd be able to use in the same sentence when thinking about his life. But for the first time in god knew how long he was at peace. Then again, Dillon supposed the he didn't have any reason not to be. After all, Venjix had finally been defeated, he didn't have to worry about the virus overrunning his system, and he had his sister back. All of those things were truly great reasons to be at peace but if Dillon was being really honest with himself, they weren't his main reason.

Yes he was thrilled that the world was safe from evil, he was ecstatic that he wasn't going to die, and he was even happier about the fact that he had managed to rescue his sister. But in this very moment in time, in his opinion, Dillon had a much better reason to be so at peace. That reason being that he was currently getting some much needed alone time in his room and had a very warm and sleepy Summer curled up against him, fast asleep.

Summer. The very thought of her sent a warm sensation shooting straight through his heart and for once Dillon let it stay there without any hesitation behind it. When it came to the woman in his arms, Dillon knew that he was a goner and in the absolute right way. Summer was his rock. His bright light when the world was completely shrouded in darkness. She took him as he was, called him on his attitude when it got to be too much, and she just got him in ways no one else ever has. Dillon knew that his memory was still fuzzy in a lot of areas but he had a feeling that when it came to his heart, no one else could or would compare to Summer.

He still had trouble figuring out how he was now the lucky one that got to call her his. Granted that development was a very recent one but it wasn't exactly a surprise. If he really thought about it, Dillon knew that he and Summer would have ended up together somehow. They'd started dancing around each other from that very first talk in Corinth city jail. Of course at first it had been nothing more than a light flirtation, a smile here, a brush of hands there, nothing too serious. Then Summer had almost had to get married and he'd felt a jealousy he hadn't known he'd possessed swell within him at the prospect of even thinking about her with someone else. From that almost wedding on, their dance had gotten a little slower, the flirtation a little more heated, but again nothing to make him consider calling it serious.

And then his memories had started to return and with them had come a host of flashbacks that had not only made him question his own sanity but the world around him. He'd remembered his sister and having lost her and then he'd just gone on a full on quest to get her back. Through it all the one person he'd been able to count on had been Summer. Sure the others had been supportive and ready to help him at a moment's notice but he hadn't been able to talk to them like he had her. She let him vent without trying to quell his anger, had let him damn near breakdown on her without a passing comment, and had been there by his side with every new development he made. Summer had just been there and that had meant everything to Dillon.

It was through those developments that Dillon found his heart cracking open for Summer and their flirtation changing into something that he still couldn't quite put a label on. Part of him wanted to call it a pseudo-relationship because there had been talking and going out together alone but at the same time there had been nothing physical and most certainly no declarations of any emotion save friendship. But that was beside the point. The point was that somehow during all of the chaos Dillon had developed real feelings for his yellow teammate. And thought it might sound rather arrogant to anyone else, he'd known that she felt the same things for him. It was always in her eyes whenever she looked at him, or in the smiles that he only got out of her. Dillon had known about her feelings, he'd known about his own, and he was quite sure that she'd known about his but they hadn't exactly gone and done anything about them.

Dillon now chalked their entire not talking about it phase up to the fact that there had been a lot going on in both of their lives at the time. They'd been trying to defeat Venjix, find his sister, and prevent his own self from becoming a Venjix drone all at once. All of that combined really didn't leave a lot of room at the end of the day for romance of any kind. So they'd put it on the backburners of their minds until life was calmer, like right now.

Right now in this moment, well actually for the past few days it seemed that peace was once again present in the world. Venjix was officially defeated, his sister wasn't under his power anymore, and he wasn't going to die of the virus. All of these things had led him to Summer on the night of Venjix's defeat. While the others were celebrating with a party down in the still kind of destroyed Garage, he'd convinced her to go for a drive out into the Wastelands.

He'd stopped just outside the city and it was there, under a blanket of completely natural dark sky that they'd had a very long conversation about what they meant to each other. In the end, they had both admitted their deep feelings for the other and the desire to become something more and had sealed said declaration with what Dillon could only describe as the best kiss of his entire life. But that kiss, however enjoyable it had been wasn't the important part of that night. The important part was that Dillon had somehow managed to leave said night in a relationship with the woman of his dreams. A relationship that was still very new to the both of them but had so far been progressing brilliantly; case in point, Summer in his bed using him as a human pillow.

Yep, in Dillon's mind life was peaceful right now. His mind was peaceful and felt absolutely right for the first time in months. The only thing that was bothering him now was what was going to happen now. He technically wasn't a Power Ranger anymore. Sure he and the rest of the team had been keeping their morphers handy just in case a Venjix groupie decided to attack and they'd been using their Zords to help with mass clean up but it was over. In a few days Dr. K was going to collect their morphers and their reign as Power Rangers would be over. He knew that despite this fact, he'd always be a Ranger, always be willing to strap the thing on again if the need arose, but for now this was it.

And honestly Dillon wasn't sure about how he should feel about it all. Being a Ranger had occupied a major part of his life and had given him so much that he couldn't help but think about ways to give back. He knew that Corinth was going to need help in rebuilding from all the damage that had been inflicted during the final battles but he wasn't sure that this was where he wanted to help. He loved this city, he really did, it would always be like a home to him but now that the world was starting to correct itself he had to think about the other places out there.

He knew from conversations with his sister that the people in Corinth weren't the only ones to survive the Venjix attack. There had been others in cities that had been occupied with former Ranger teams. Those teams had helped people get underground and by some miracle Venjix hadn't gone after them because he hadn't wanted to deal with more Power Ranger teams. Now that Venjix was gone, those people could come out of hiding and rebuild. It was a rebuild that was going to take a hell of a lot more effort on everyone's part than here in Corinth city. Yes the people here would help in any way possible but Dillon didn't just want to watch things happen; he wanted to make them happen.

He and Tenaya had spent a good amount of time in the last few days talking and he knew that his sister felt the same way. She kept saying she wanted to atone for what she'd done under Venjix and she wanted to help rebuild the world. This mutual desire to do some good in other places meant that Dillon and Tenaya were both seriously considering leaving Corinth for awhile. Not for forever but for a while, so they could help and possibly re-establish who they were in the process. It was something that Tenaya was all for but Dillon wasn't so sure about it. He wanted to go out and help but he didn't want to leave Summer after finally getting the chance to be with her.

"Dillon?" his name, mumbled sleepily, caused the Black Ranger to break free of his train of thought and glance down to find Summer staring up at him, a sleepy smile gracing her features. Grinning Dillon found himself leaning down in order to brush a kiss across her temple before returning to his previous position on the pillow, his gaze now trained on Summer's beautiful face.

"Why are you sleeping? You promised to nap with me," she said with a pout that had him chuckling and bringing a hand up to run across her back.

"I tried and failed on the sleeping part. I just got to thinking."

"About what?"

"The last few days, us, the future."

"Well I'm hoping that the us and future parts of your thoughts are together in some way." When she smiled Dillon felt his heart swell and once again his mind was racing. He knew what he wanted to do with the immediate future. He wanted to set out with his sister and help but he wanted the woman beside him to be there with them. It was a topic he'd been waiting to broach ever since he and Tenaya had started to semi-finalize their plans together and now seemed like a perfect opportunity to talk to her about it. They were alone and he knew that no one was going to interrupt them for at least another hour. It was perfect.

"Oh they are, I promise," he replied, watching as her brow furrowed ever so slightly at his words.

"But? I'm sensing a but here Dillon," Summer responded, propping her head up on his chest as she did so. "What's going on in that head of yours? You know you can tell me anything right?"

"I know I can. I've just been thinking well…you know Tenaya and I have been talking a lot these past few days right?"

"Of course and you two should be talking. It's the only way you're going to bond."

"Right. Well as we've talked, she's been telling me that Corinth isn't the only place that people have survived in. There are other cities out there that managed to set up underground places for people to go to."

At his words he felt Summer shift against him, and he glanced down to find that she was looking at him with rapt attention, and he could already see her mind already going into overdrive mode.

"How does she know for certain?"

"Venjix knew about them but he didn't go after them."

"Wait, why wouldn't he do that? It seems that he would want to go after the people with the least amount of protection available," Summer responded and he nodded.

"That's what I thought about at first but thing is; those places weren't unprotected. The cities that set up undergrounds were all cities of former Ranger teams. I mean I know that everyone thought that they were killed with the initial onslaught but they were busy helping others go into hiding. Protecting those that we couldn't get to while we handled the main threat."

There was silence between the two of them for a few moments as Dillon allowed her to process all of the information he was giving her. He knew it was a lot and he was still reeling from it himself but he needed to have this conversation with Summer and to do that she needed all of the information that he had. He watched her for a time and finally her face broke out into a soft smile.

"It makes sense. Once a Ranger Always a Ranger," she said softly. "Those people, our legacy wouldn't just lay down and take it. They'd help as much as possible. And Venjix wouldn't have gone after them because that would mean a whole host of other problems."

"Exactly. And now that Venjix is gone all of those people that have been hiding, the other teams..."

"Can come out of hiding," Summer finished softly.

He nodded at her assessment and tightened his hold on her. Now came the difficult part, talking about what he wanted to do for those people out there.

"But it's not going to be easy for them when they do," Dillon said and he felt Summer nod against him. "They're going to have almost nothing to start a rebuild with and Tenaya and I have been talking about going to help them. Corinth has a lot of resources; they probably won't have as much. They'll need manpower."

He felt her tense against his body when he stopped and for a few moments there was a truly awkward and tense silence between them. Dillon didn't like the feeling it was leaving in his gut but he had to gage how she felt about him going in the first place and then put the rest of his idea into words.

"So you're going to leave?" she asked quietly. "With Tenaya?"

"We were thinking about it."

"Oh," Summer said softly, a crack to her voice. "You s-should go. The world needs help and you and your sister need to-"

It was in that exact moment that Dillon knew he was making the right decision, knew that when he did this next part, he was asking the right person. He didn't think any other girl would ever say that kind of thing to him and mean it the way Summer did. But he hated the way her voice sounded, the sadness, the quietly held in emotion, he hated that he was putting it there. He would fix that, he had too.

"Summer," he murmured, bringing his free hand up to cup her cheek, forcing her gaze to meet his as he spoke his next piece. "I won't be going unless you come with us. I just got you and I can't imagine being without you. I want you to come with us on this journey. I want you with me."

He heard her suck in a breath at that and watched as her eyes widened and the sadness that was there slowly gave way to a happiness that he only hoped could mean a yes answer to his question.

"You really want me to go with you two?"

"Of course," he replied quickly. "You're supposed to be in my life. I want you there as it starts over again. Together. If you want that."

"I do," Summer answered with a grin on her face. "I say yes. I want to rebuild. I want to help. And I want to be with you and Tenaya. I say yes."

"Really?" he asked a hint of surprise in his tone. Dillon had hoped she would agree but he'd never really imagined that Summer actually would say yes to this crazy plan he and his sister had cooked up. But here she was saying yes to starting out on a new chapter of her life, with him. She was saying yes.

"Yes," she said with a giggle and a light slap to his chest. "How can you think that I'd want to be anywhere else? My home is where my heart is and you have my heart. So wherever we end up..it's home. This is me saying yes to being with you and to a life we know we want. Are you ready for that?"

"Bring it on," he said seriously before quickly ducking down to seal his lips to her own. They still had a lot to talk about regarding when they would leave and what direction they'd be heading in but for right now Dillon intended on enjoying the moment. He and Summer had earned that much before starting off on a new chapter of their lives. Together.

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**There's just one more part after this! **

**Feedback is always appreciated. Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Power Rangers still belongs to Disney. I highly doubt it will ever belong to me unless I suddenly win the lottery. **

**AN: And here it is, the last part of Aftermath. Thank you for reading. I've loved writing this series and will definitely be writing more RPM fics in the near future.**

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Sleepless. It was a state of being that he hadn't really had to apply to himself in a good few months. After all he'd had a roof over his head, good friends to share his life with, and a job that made him feel great. Sure said job involved him risking his life day in and day out but when you thought about it; that risk was a small one to pay when you were protecting the world from psycho Virus. A risk that Ziggy found himself more than happy to take on after the initial shock of actually becoming a Power Ranger. Yes he'd freaked out at first, but at the end of the day he'd been happy because he was going to get to make a difference in people's lives. That very ability to care was what had made him such a horrible member of the cartel but was what made him such a good Ranger. Sure he may not have been the best at martial arts or computers but he had heart and that heart was in the right place.

At least, that's what he was always telling himself in those moments of self doubt that he tried not to let anyone else see. He didn't need anyone finding a reason to doubt his abilities as a Ranger because more often than not, he was the one singled out by others. And really he supposed their doubt was brought on by good cause but Ziggy thought that at the end of the day he'd been a good Ranger. If he hadn't been he wouldn't have been able to help the team with the destruction of Venjix.

But that was in the past now. Venjix had been gone for almost a week now and soon enough Ziggy wouldn't be the Green Ranger anymore. Dr. K had allowed them all to keep their morphers for this long in case of a possible attack by rogue Venjix groupies but it seemed that the threat was all but destroyed now. The Earth was starting to reset itself and soon enough Ziggy would be handing in his morpher and going back to being just him.

The problem was that he honestly didn't know who that was anymore. He didn't have to run from Fresno Bob anymore, he was a free man in Corinth city but he didn't know what kind of man he was. For so long he'd been focused on running for his life and then he'd been a Power Ranger for a year. A year that, when he really thought about it, had been the absolute best of his life because of the friendships forged and the legacy he was now a part of. Being the Green Ranger had ultimately changed him in so many ways but it was all for the better. He thought a little bit more before he leaped now, knew that the impossible could happen in the worst of times, and was the type of man he could be proud of.

The only problem with all of that was that now that man had no idea what to do with himself. The past year had been spent focusing on being a Ranger, saving the world, not letting people die in the process, that Ziggy didn't know what to do now. And that thought was a terrifying prospect because he'd always had a plan of some sort. Yes, those plans were sometimes not the best but they were plans nonetheless. Here and now, after the final battle, Ziggy was stuck and he didn't like it.

It was this very thought that was keeping him awake at this very moment in time because tomorrow was the day. They were all handing in their morphers and Ziggy officially had nothing to do. It was enough to make him toss and turn for a good few hours before he finally just gave up and sat up in his bed. He glared at the red numbers on the alarm clock claiming that it was well after three in the morning before he glanced around his room. _His room_. The thought made him smile because really this was the first time he had a room to call his own and not have to share with anyone else.

When he'd been living at the Orphanage there had been at least five children to a room if not more because of overcrowding and then with Fresno Bob he'd had to share with another lackey. He'd never had a space to call his own until a year ago. When he'd become a Ranger he'd gotten his own room and he had to say he quite enjoyed it and he was grateful that he wasn't going to have to leave it soon. Dr. K was being gracious enough to let all of them stay here at the Garage for as long as they wanted and it was an offer Ziggy was taking her up on because he had nowhere to go at the moment.

_Dr. K_. There was yet another reason for his bout with insomnia tonight. In addition to thoughts about not knowing what to do with himself, he now found that his brain was being occupied with thoughts of her. There was no denying that he had feelings for her of the romantic kind. He didn't even know when his feelings had shifted from platonic to something that involved romantic. One minute he was just trying to get Dr. K to like him as a possible friend and the next he was dreaming about going out on a date with her. The shift he supposed, had happened gradually but he'd certainly been blindsided by it before being knocked out and that damn dream.

After that dream he hadn't been able to stop thinking about the possibility of Dr. K and him together. He knew they clashed an awful lot but he liked that about them. He'd always thought that she was cute and her brains were just an amazing part of the deal. She could handle her own and didn't take crap from anyone. All traits that he liked about her but she in turn seemed to like almost nothing about him. She liked to insult him, refused to use his actual name, and really seemed to avoid him if she could. All of that combined had him coming up short when it came to feelings and emotions on her part. She obviously wanted to have nothing to do with him and Ziggy couldn't force her to feel anything.

So for the sake of his own sanity and the cohesiveness of the team he kept his feelings to himself. Though he was pretty sure those feelings had been revealed during the final battle when he'd rushed off to protect Dr. K but so far no one had mentioned that to him. He had a sneaking suspicion that Summer and Gemma had threatened the other guys but he found himself perfectly alright with that fact. He'd need to thank the two girls at some point in the near future for it.

Sighing Ziggy ran a hand through his hair and glared at his alarm clock once more before deciding that sleep was indeed going to be completely evasive tonight. He stretched once before he pried himself out of bed, glanced down to be sure that he was indeed wearing appropriate attire, and then headed towards the door to his room. If he was going to wallow he mine as well do it while pacing the floor downstairs.

As he headed for the stairs he was completely unsurprised to find the light to Summer's room still on and laughter coming from within. Laughter that most definitely belonged to Dillon and giggles that he could easily pinpoint to Summer. The two of them had finally gotten together a few days ago and had so far been spending every one of their nights together since then. Ziggy assumed that tonight was no exception to the routine they'd begun and he had to laugh as he passed the door. In his opinion it was high time that those two got their act together and admitted how they felt. He'd called their feelings for each other months ago and now that he was thinking about it Flynn still owed him money. They'd placed a bet a few weeks ago and he'd been the winner.

Speaking of Flynn, Ziggy couldn't hold back a smile as he made his way down the stairs and through the newly restored living room. In said room, curled up together on the couch, were a sleeping Flynn and Gemma. Those two had apparently also gotten together a few days ago and had spent tonight indoors, playing cards and then watching a movie that had obviously put them both to sleep. Ziggy wondered for a few moments if he should maybe wake them up so they could go and sleep in their respective beds but disbanded that thought after looking at them. They looked at peace and who was he to disturb that by separating them?

As quietly as he could, Ziggy got past them and breathed a sigh of relief when they didn't move. What he didn't pay attention was the fact that he'd managed to wander his way into the mostly destroyed lab and was now standing in front of the Ranger suits. Once again he sighed, of course his subconscious would lead him here of all places. He really thought about leaving, he didn't want to stare at his suit and think of what he was losing, but if he left where would he go? He couldn't go out into the city at this late hour and if he went into the kitchen he risked waking the two lovebirds in the living room. He wasn't that mean so Ziggy decided he was really stuck for awhile because he didn't want to go back upstairs to a room that was only serving as a reminder to the not sleeping he was doing right now.

He took a breath and brought himself back to the present, training his eyes on the Green Ranger Suit that was before him. He took a step upwards and found himself placing his hands on either side of the glass that contained it. Maybe if he just looked at it for awhile he wouldn't feel so damn lost.

"We had some good times didn't we my friend?" he whispered quietly, not quite believing that he was actually talking to his suit of all things. But hey being up past three in the morning kind of made a guy delirious. Besides no one else was around to make fun of him and if they were he'd just kick them. "You helped me become a man and for that I'm grateful. It's going to be a sad day tomorrow when I hand my morpher in. But I'm kind of looking forward to putting what I've learned with you to use out there in the world. What use I don't know yet but I will. I'm going to make this legacy proud of me."

"Ranger Operator Series Green, are you talking to your Ranger suit?"

Ziggy jumped at the sound of a voice behind him and quickly turned around to find that said voice did indeed belong to one Dr. K and she was standing before him in pajamas covered with various forms of pi. She looked like she either wanted to hit him or give him a full on psychological exam, either way neither look was good.

"Umm hi Dr. K, what are you doing up so late?"

"Do not avoid the question Series Green. Were you talking to your suit?"

"Yes," he answered simply. Mine as well own up to the fact that he was indeed talking to an inanimate object.

"Why on Earth would you talk to your suit?"

"Because I can't sleep and I came downstairs and ended up in here so I wouldn't wake up Flynn and Gemma on the couch. And then I started thinking about tomorrow or it's actually today now and how we're handing in our morphers and I just…" he paused for a moment to look her right in the eye. He needed Dr. K to see that he wasn't crazy. "I know it seems insane but this suit and I, we've been through a lot. It's kept me alive and I felt the need to thank it for everything alright?"

For a moment there was nothing but silence between the two of them and then Ziggy almost had a heart attack because he could swear he saw something soften in Dr. K's eyes when she met his gaze. He'd only seen that look at a few crucial moments during their time together and hadn't expected to ever see it again.

"Series Green, I do not think you are insane for talking to your suit," she began and he felt his eyebrows raise at the statement. "It is normal to develop an attachment to something so closely linked to your own body. I can imagine that giving said thing up is hard to process."

"You have no idea," he mumbled softly, relief flooding through his body at her words. The last thing he needed was for the woman he had a crush on to think he was even crazier than she already thought she was. "It's just, well, this suit has helped me become who I am right now and I was thinking about how I don't know what's going to happen when it's gone. It's defined me for a year and now nothing."

"Is that why you are up at this absurd hour?"

He chuckled and nodded, running a hand through his hair once more.

"Well it's that and a couple of other things. It's all just racing through my mind and it won't slow down. I gave up on sleep a few minutes ago. No sense in trying to get any when it's obvious my body doesn't want it right now."

"That is a very logical deduction," Dr. K replied, sounding somewhat surprised at her answer, and he grinned at the look. It wasn't often he got to do that to her. "Very stupid but logical all the same."

"Gee thanks Doc. Hey wait a minute, what are you doing up at this hour?"

Dr. K took a breath and simply looked at him before commenting.

"It seems that our brains are working in tandem tonight Ranger Green. I too am being overrun with thoughts at the moment and cannot achieve a proper REM phase of sleep."

"So what you're saying is that you're mind is being bogged down by a million and one thoughts like mine?" He asked with a smile and she nodded before walking across the room to sit in her chair. Ziggy, curious as ever, decided to follow her, pulling up a spare chair to sit beside her.

"Why don't you tell me what you were thinking about Doc? It might help you get to sleep if you let your thoughts run free with someone."

"And why would I choose to share my thoughts with you Ranger Green?"

"Because like it or not Dr. K I'm your friend. Being a friend entails being there for someone and I'd like to be there for you right now. Your thoughts are obviously troubling you and I'm offering you a willing ear to listen too. An ear that promises the utmost secrecy when it comes to these thoughts," he replied a tad bit harshly. He hadn't meant to sound like he was mad but he kind of was. He'd hoped that after everything, Dr. K could at least consider him to be a friend like she did the others. His tone of voice did however have the desired effect; Dr. K looked at him with surprise before looking down, seemingly embarrassed by her earlier words.

"Ranger Green I apologize, I didn't mean to make you upset. I do consider you a friend."

"Call me Ziggy?" He asked hopefully. "I won't be Ranger Green in a few hours and you're going to have to call me something so let's try my name. Please?"

"Ziggy," she rolled the name over her tongue and he had to admit, he really wanted to kiss her right about now. The name sounded foreign yet oh so right on her tongue and he couldn't help it, he had to suppress a shiver from running up his spine.

"Good. Now how about you tell me what's got you up so late? It'll make you feel better. I promise."

"Range-Ziggy," she corrected at the look he was giving her. "Oh fine. I'm up because I was thinking about how..quiet this place will be in a few days."

"Quiet? Are you kicking us out Doc?" he asked, a slight panic rising in his chest. He had no idea what he would do if she actually did that.

"What? No. Of course not. You know you have a home here for as long as you need one," she responded quickly, reaching out and patting the back of his hand during the process. Ziggy let out a breath of relief at that and had to quell his heart at the touch of her hand to his.

"So quiet? Why is it going to be quiet?"

"Well I imagine that many of you will be leaving to pursue other goals now that Venjix is defeated. I know Scott will be going back to the military and I imagine that Flynn will want to spend more time with his father. Though he will probably be spending more time around here because of the computer system they'll be building and Gemma," Dr. K replied with a chuckle. "But it is safe to think that you all will at some point leave and start your lives over. I know that all of us will forever be linked by what we shared but there is a world out there. But I've…gotten rather used to everyone around here."

"So what you're saying is that you're going to be lonely," Ziggy finished for her, this time reaching out to squeeze her shoulder in comfort.

"That is an accurate observation," she replied softly, and he had to admit he was surprised when she leaned herself into the touch. But he smiled, happy that he was at least able to do something for her.

"Well you don't have to worry about that. I'll be around for awhile yet. I still don't know what I'm going to be doing after today."

"Is it safe to observe that that is why you are up right now?"

"Yes," he replied with a dark chuckle.

"Would you care to elaborate? Come on, it'll make you feel better," Dr. K said with a small smile on her face and Ziggy had to laugh. He guessed that he really had no say in the matter, she'd confessed, time for him to do the same.

"I guess fair is fair so alright I'll talk," he said with a small smile. "I've just been thinking about what I want to do with my life. I mean the one I had before being a Ranger isn't something I can be proud of. Being a Ranger changed me you know? I'm not the same person I was. I want to make a difference but I don't know how. It's kind of terrifying to leave something that's been your life for a year and realizing that you have nothing at the end of it."

"Ziggy you don't have nothing. You have friends and you know you always have a place to live here don't you?" Dr. K asked and he found himself surprised once more by the warmth present in her eyes. He nodded quickly to her question and once more found himself running a hand through his hair.

"I know that Doc and I appreciate it but I can't just sit around and do nothing. Not when I've been doing something for so long you know?"

"Believe it or not Ziggy I do know. I too am finding it hard to contemplate that this will no longer be my existence. I've focused for so long on destroying the virus I create and now it's gone…I don't know what I'll be doing now."

Ziggy paused at that and found himself in shock. He hadn't considered the fact that he and Dr. K might just be in the same sort of boat when it came to what was happening next. But they really were. She might be just as lost as he was and apparently she realized it too because she was turning her chair away from him. Before he knew what he was doing Ziggy had shot a hand out to stop said chair, ignoring the way her breath faltered before slowly turning it so she was facing him.

"You know that's alright don't you? Not knowing what you're doing? It happens a lot."

"Not to me," she responded softly. "I've always had structure and people telling me where I was going and now nothing. I don't know what to do."

"Well Dr. K that makes two of us."

"And I suppose this is where you tell me that there's nothing to be afraid of?"

He snorted at that and shook his head.

"No, there's a hell of a lot to be afraid of but you're not alone K. The team is all here for you. I'm here for you. You know that right?"

"I know that," she said softly. "It was you after all that came running to save me during the final battle didn't you?"

Ziggy paused at this and felt his eyes widen. Oh god, she knew about his feelings for her, this was not good, not good at all. Oh god he was going to get rejected by her. Great just what he needed tonight.

"I did," he answered finally. No sense in denying it now.

"Why?"

Now that question had him staring at her as though she'd grown a second head or something. How could she possibly question why he would come save her? How could she even doubt that anyone would want to save her? He had to put a stop to this train of thought right now even if it put his heart right out in the open for her to step on.

Slowly, so he wouldn't scare her, Ziggy found himself pushing out of the chair he'd commandeered and kneeling on the ground before her. One hand resting on her knees as the other came up to cup her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. He was taking a damn huge risk here but he had too. Maybe this gamble would actually pay off.

"Dr. K, don't you know that you are absolutely and positively worth saving? I don't think that my heart could've taken it if Venjix had hurt you."

He was startled when her eyes filled with tears then and he panicked. What if he had said something to offend her? To upset her? He really didn't know anything about girls, oh god he should have gone to get Summer. She would know how to handle this.

"Oh Ziggy."

And then Dr. K was leaning down and her lips were on his and Ziggy was having his second heart attack of the night. He was kissing Dr. K. Really kissing her and oh hey she was kissing back. Their lips were moving in tandem and he had no idea how he was making his lips move but he was and oh god it was amazing. You know that thing people say about fireworks going off in your head? Yeah. This kiss was that good. And Ziggy could barely contain his glee when she pulled away from him and he caught her smiling down at him.

"Wow," he murmured, bringing the hand that had previously been on her chin to ghost over his lips. "Oh wow. That was…"

"Sufficient?" His eyes shot up at that and he noted that she was still smiling but looking rather nervous at the moment and he almost laughed. Almost; instead he simply leaned up and brushed his lips against hers again.

"It was better than that and you know it," he mumbled against her lips. "Is it safe to observe that you do in fact have some feelings for me?"

"It would be a logical assumption yes," she murmured.

"And how long have these feelings existed for?"

"At the present moment I cannot give you an accurate date. I you ask me again in the afternoon I can possibly assist you with the time. But for now will awhile do?"

He laughed against her lips then and nodded.

"May I think assume that you have the same feelings for me?"

"You may," he murmured, pecking her again. "And before you ask, they've been around for awhile."

"Good," Dr. K responded. "Ziggy, what do we do now?"

"Well I guess we go forward. We don't really have a choice. But I think that's the beauty of it. We're meant to move on from this as better individuals. The aftermath of battle is hard but the reward? Oh so worth it. And you know…maybe I'll become a teacher. I've always loved kids."

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**Feedback is always appreciated. Once again thank you so much for reading! More fics to come in the future! **


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